Smoke wreaths firefighters outside the Croatian city of Dubrovnik on Sunday.(CBC)

Strong winds from the fire on the outskirts of the coastal city of Dubrovnik were fanning the flames and moving thick smoke to new areas. The haze was so thick that ash rained down on people sitting in outdoor cafes.

There were reports that planes could not take off from the city’s airport, leaving travellers stranded Sunday at the height of tourist season.

A worker at the airport said the fire was so close that people could see the flames and smell the smoke.

Crews have been battling a series of sporadic fires for several weeks, but now they say firefighting efforts have slowed because of concerns over unexploded mines in the hills.

Residents have joined hundreds of professional and volunteer firefighters ina desperate attempt to save their homes.